The Republican. [volume] (Oakland, Md.) 1877-current, 1887-07-30
"A Sham and a Hnmbug."

Mr.. Eugene Higgins, Appointment
Clerk in the Treasury Department,
declares reform in the Civil Service
and the non-intervention of office
holders in politics~to be "a sham and
humbug from beginning to end"
Mr.. Higgins speaks from the fullness
of his experience as trusted officer
of the Administration and the chief
henchman of the Presidents nearest
political friend.
When Higgins thus delivered him.
self he was fresh from new victory
at the Democratic primaries in Bal
timore. What sort of victory it
was, and how accomplished. is best
told by the New York Times which
helped to elect Mr.. Cleveland and is
his always ready apologist:
The city of Baltimore seems to be
the stronghold, if not the last refuge,
of spOils politics in its worst and most
disreputable form and for this, we
are sorry to say, the National Adj
ministration is in no small measure
responsible, In that city is the very
plague spot on its otherwise fair rec
ord. The Democratic primaries there
on Wednesday last afforded strik-
ing illustration of the natural result
of the concessions that have been
made to that arch sportsman and I'M
nf
man. There is reform element in
the Baltimore Democracy which has
been striving to cleanse political
methods in that city, and it only
needed countenance and support to
succeed in its efforts. The reform
Democrats have pledged themselves
to an honest registration, fair cleo
tions and decent party methods,
things which have been long ur-
known in the city of Baltimore. The
ultimate object is honest and efficient
government for the city and for the
State of Maryland. AT the primaries
they were utterly overwhelmed by
the most disreputable methods. The
local boss and his lieutenants took
possession and carried things with a
high hand through their control of
the officers and employees of the Gus
tom House, the Postoffice and the
local government. Gangs of men in
the public employ and paid for pub
lie service with the money of the
people, spent the day in carrying out
the commands of the boss, and rally
Ing to their aid not only the lawless
and disreputable elements of the
city's populations, but imported
roughs and thugs from neighboring
cities. Corruption, coercion and in
timidation were used to carry the
primaries for the ring of greedy
spoilsmen, and the decent Democrats
were overwhelmed.
And who was the boss who was
able to accomplish this result, and
what was the main source of his pow
err? His name is Rasin, and he was
appointed naval officer at Baltimore
by President Cleveland, at the in
stance of Senator German, and
against the protests of refOrmers, who
showed that his character and meth
DDS in politics were utterly disrepu-
table. He had practically at his
command all the forces of the Custom
house and postoffice. as well as those
of the municipal government. His
most active and efficient lieutenants
were Appointment Clerk Eugene A.
Higgins, of the Treasury department
and Indian Inspector Morris A,
Thomas. These men were also ap-
poitned at the instance of German,
and in spite of the protests of all adj
vocates of reform and true friends of
the Administration. Their charac-
ter was exposed and their contempt
for civil service reform and decent
politics was well known. With them
worked other Baltimore politicians
who hold conspicuous places in the
Federal service, including special
Agent Malone, of the Treasury De-
partment; Quinn, clerk of the
Steamboat Inspectors, and Gresham
Haugh, one of the chiefs of division
in the Interior Department at Wash
ington. These men in the Federal
service at Washington and in Balti-
more abandoned their public duties
for the day and devoted themselves
to carrying the primaries against the
reform Democracy. There could be
no more fragrant violation of one of
the most essential principles of re-
form in the public service and in po-
litical methods, to which President
Cleveland is pledged without re-
serve. He has professed to discount
tenace activity on the part of FEEDER
al ofiiceholders in party management.
tNInrninO the RacnaIS QutM